Primitive fishes: environmental adaptations and persistence McKenzie DJ, Farrell AP, Brauner CJ (eds) (2007) Primitive fishes, Vol. 26, Fish physiology, Academic Press, Amsterdam, 562 pp, US 94.50 dollar

摘要

Anyone who has seen a lamprey, sturgeon, bowfin, or any other ‘primitive fish’ can attest to the mystique of these animals. Primitive fishes can (in my case) evoke the wonder experienced as children over dinosaurs, a group that is younger in geologic time than many primitive fishes (Kardong 1995). The ancient lineage and persistence of primitive fishes through time makes them amenable to studies of phylogeny and evolution. Primitive fishes are especially interesting from an anthropomorphic view, assome, lungfishes and coelacanths, may be more closely related to humans than to other fishes (Maisey 1996; Janvier, Figure 1.3 in Chapter 1; Youson, Chapter 9). In my case, the ancient lineage of primitive fishes also makes them interesting to study with respect to their physiological adaptations to their present and past environments. Many of the primitive fishes have changed very little in appearance over time and it is a wonder that they have persisted for so long.